Originally there were other representations of St. Ethelbert: on the tombs of Bishops Cantilupe and Mayo, Dean Frowcester, Archdeacon Rudhale, Præcentor Porter; in colour on the walls of the chapter-house and the tomb of Joanna de Kilpec; in ancient glass, recently restored, in a window in the south aisle of the choir; and in a stone-carving over the door of the Bishop's Cloister, and the effigy formerly on the west front.
Opposite the throne a slab of marble, from designs by Scott, marks the spot, as far as it is known, where Ethelbert was buried.
The Choir-stalls are largely ancient, belonging to the Decorated period. They have good canopy work, and are otherwise excellent in detail. Some of the misereres are quaint, among them being found several examples of the curiously secular subjects chosen for this purpose by the wood-carvers of the period.
In addition to the bishop's throne, which is of the fourteenth century, there is, on the north side of the sacrarium, a very old episcopal chair, concerning which a tradition remains that King Stephen sat in it when he visited Hereford. Be this as it may, the Hereford chair is undoubtedly of very great antiquity,[pg 080] and belongs to, or at least is similar to, the earliest kind of furniture used in this country. The dimensions of the chair are—height, 3 feet 9 inches; breadth, 33 inches; front to back, 22 inches. The entire chair is formed of 53 pieces, without including the seat of two boards and the two small circular heads in front.
Traces of ancient colour—vermilion and gold—may still be seen in several of the narrow bands: a complete list of other painted work which has been recorded or still exists in the cathedral has been compiled by Mr C. E. Keyser.[6]
The Cathedral Library.—The Archive Chamber, on the Library. This room, which has been restored by Sir G. G. Scott, is now approached by a winding stone staircase.
In earlier times access was only obtainable either by a draw-bridge or some other movable appliance crossing the great north window. The Library (which Botfield[7] calls "a most excellent specimen of a genuine monastic library") contains about 2000 volumes, including many rare and interesting manuscripts, most of which are still chained to the shelves. Every chain is from 3 to 4 feet long, with a ring at each end and a swivel in the middle. The rings are strung on iron rods secured by metal-work at one end of the bookcase. There are in this chamber eighty capacious oak cupboards, which contain the whole of the deeds and documents belonging to the Dean and Chapter, the accumulation of eight centuries.
THE REREDOS.
Photochrom Co., Ld., Photo.